What Day Is It?

What's with all the kids?  (just some things we've been doing the last couple of days)

Ansley decorated the cake!!!  (very festive, don't you think?)

A little slip and slide action complete with dish washing liquid for extra SLIP.

Three of the best behaved little girls I've met.  Hope they get to come back!

Classic performed the group CUZZINZ!

Break Dancin'

Since Cuzzin Libby came to visit, MiMi (the cat) has gone into hiding. 

Libby is a brave dog.  Barking at our big dogs from high above the ground and behind glass.

Happy 4th of July (2011)

A Little of This and A Little of That

Been a BUSY week.  Looks like next week is shaping up be just as busy. 

A little studying.

A little chess.

A little pouting.

A little frisbee.

A little chalk and a little scooter.

And a little fun.

Add to that, two doctor appointments and two dental appointments

And you can see we know how to keep ourselves occupied.

A Little More Swimming

Today, he jumped off the side of the pool, more than once.  He also kicked his way across the pool by himself on the boogie board. (more than once)  This is big.  He has low muscle tone and very low core strength.  To have the ability to go across the pool and not tip over and not get scared when he wobbled is great.  

Driving Already???? Where did the time go????

Seems like just yesterday, they were wearing diapers.  Now, this????

Vacation 2011 (part 3)

You thought I forgot, didn't ya?   

Nah...just got busy.

So, last we left off, Randy took Judson, Ansley, and Turner on a 2-3 mile hike.  There was no way we could have taken Sawyer on that hike without one of us having to carry him most of the way.  The solution?

Can you guess what he is doing?

Does he look sad because he's missing the hike?   Wanna know why he is so happy?

The Train!  The Train!!!

He had such a great time.  The guy let him ride extra time because we were there early and there was no one waiting.  He'd come around the curve and I'd hear him yell, "Stop the Train, Stop the Train". Not because he wanted off but because he was acting out some movie he had seen.  (Polar Express???)  He had a great time!

Next installment?   The kids learn to drive!!!

Never Too Old to Learn

So Randy and Judson signed up for a race.  Randy ran the half marathon and Judson the 5k.  Since Randy's race began first and ended last, I needed to be there to keep up with Judson.  So at 6am yesterday, we set out for the race.  ALL.6.OF.US.  Nothing unusual to begin with. 

Then after 30 minutes and only 2 folks had crossed the finish line for the 5k, people began to question where they might be.  Come to find out, the whole pack (save the 2) had taken a wrong turn and ended up on the half marathon course.  By the time the pack finished the race, they had run 5 miles instead of 5k.  I was a bit worried because I wasn't sure if Judson was upset.  I was hoping he had stayed with the crowd.  I had told him to do that since I figured he was safer in the crowd than wondering the streets of Snellville alone. 

The whole time we were waiting for them, I was getting pretty angry.  The organizer was less than stellar and I was thinking of some things I would say to him if my son wasn't finishing pretty soon.  At close to the hour mark, I saw Judson rounding the last curve.  I breathed a sigh of relief but still held bad will toward the guy in charge.  When Judson crossed the line, his first words to me were "  Next year I'm training for 5 miles in case this happens again!"  Wow.  Can you believe that attitude?  Awesome.  I tempered my attitude and realized that I could learn a lesson from this ordeal too.  Judson did not quit.  He did exactly what I told him and he persevered and finished the race.  Of the 84 people signed up, less than 60 finished.  He did not complain.  He just made the best of a bad situation. What a great example he was to his momma. 

Interrupting our regularly scheduled programming for PSA #1

OK...you can't tell me this kid isn't cute.  What a personality.  It jumps off the page.  From his description:
"little cheeky, lively and has a strong will."  He needs a Mommy.....Maybe it's YOU!!!   Just saying....

Vacation 2011 (part 2)

Checking out the trails!  (Ok...can't get used to new blogger, so the pics are out of order)

Judson and Dad (along with Cousin Mark) Hiked to the Boulevard Trail and beyond.

Dad took Ansley, Turner and Judson on a short hike to Laurel Falls.

From the longer hike overlooking Newfound Gap

Short hike, Laurel Falls.

Never fear, Sawyer was not ready to go hiking.  So he went to do some 'funner' stuff!  Since, I can't get Blogger to do what I want, I'll make that a separate post. 

Vacation 2011 (part 1)

Hitting the links!

More later.....

Let's Go Swimming!

Sawyer has had 3 swimming lessons so far.  He's progressing.  Of course, I hear him negotiating with his teacher at every turn.  Things like: "How bout you get your head wet".  "Your turn".  So, she negotiates right back.  "You get your face wet and I'll get my hair wet". 

Randomness

 Leaping to his doom!

Our buddy, William

 That would be nuclear reactor icing on those cupcakes!

Random kid Sawyer grabbed as he was going down the water slide.

BTW, what's up with blogger?

It is totally screwed up.

We Did It!!!

We survived scout camp 2011!

Sawyer was so proud of his award. He was just giddy with excitement.

They gave him his Bobcat badge. They would have given it to him regardless of him earning it. Randy and I made sure he EARNED it though. I think it's a bad example to set for him (or any child) to let them get by with less than you expect of others. I think children will rise to the level of the bar you set. (and NO I am not that kind of Tiger Mom) I do think that Sawyer is capable of doing most anything any other child can do. It may take him longer to do it but he can do it and needs to do it. So he earned his Bobcat Badge. It brought a tear to my eye after seeing how happy it made him. He said, "I'm a Scout!"

I didn't see much of Judson at camp. He was in the Bear group w/Randy as leader. I know he had a good time though. This is their 'den', I believe that is the correct term. Judson would be the one with his hat pulled down over his eyes. The little boy with the long hair played basketball with Judson. (small world in which we travel)

Day 4 Scout Camp Observations (forgot the camera)

1. The boys love Sawyer. One kid brought him a gift today. It was something he got out of a Happy Meal. They all make sure he gets his turn at doing things.

2. Sawyer wants to be a scout. Tonight he was acting up (as he has been quite a bit throughout the week). It escalated so I made good on my promise to take him to the car. He went .... Kicking .... Screaming. The whole way to the car he screamed "I WANT TO BE A SCOUT". (Truly, I would have had an easier time getting a greased pig to the car than Sawyer)

3. People will make it too easy for Sawyer if you let them.

4. Turner has been awesome.

5. It is HOT!

Day 2 and 3 of Scout Camp (with a little swimming thrown in)

Yeah...we're staying busy. Keeps us out of trouble. Makes us tired. It's all good!

Scary, I know.

She thinks she can have him swimming by end of summer!

Super Hero Dad, protecting Sawyer with his SuperSoaker.
(goes back to my theory that scouting was created FOR Dads but hey that's another story)

Amazingly, no one was seriously injured during this.
In fact, the big guys were very protective of Sawyer.
(who by the way was in the thick of things and got knocked about quite a bit)

Campfire Cooking
Sawyer chose banana-chocolate chip-marshmallow supreme.
Must of been good judging by the goop around his mouth.

I Survived Scout Camp

Well....at least the first night.

The back story: We are going to try Sawyer in Scouts this year. He will be a Tiger starting in the fall. When Randy was signing Judson up for summer camp and also volunteering, he happened to mention Sawyer would be a scout this coming fall. Lo and behold, they have camp for 'rising' Tigers. (it's new) They wanted to Sawyer to try it. There was only 1 more boy signed up, so it would be a small group. They would even assign a boy to be his 'shadow'. We agreed if I could also be his shadow. Their words, "We hope you will feel like you can leave him but it's all up to you". I was like, let me observe and see how he does the first night.

FIRST NIGHT

The boy assigned to shadow Sawyer is a first year boy scout. I think that means he just finished 6th grade. Ummm...not exactly a positive point in my book. THEN the den leader didn't show up. Finally, one man shows up to lead one of the classes and was re-assigned to be the Tiger Den Leader. About half way through, another lady shows up to be the 'helper'. So there is one 6th grader, one helper, and one leader of the one-boy Tiger den. Pretty good odds, unless it involves Saw-man. He left them in his dust. First of all, 6th grader has Aspergers. So much of the time, he was in his own world and not aware that that world did not include Sawyer, who happened to be in his own world also. One time, they all happened to take their eye off Sawyer at the same time. Sawyer sensed it and made for the woods. I (from my vantage point) across the parking lot saw this. So I yelled (did not get up because I did not interfere with any part of the activities) "Sawyer". They turned around and caught him. I think that was when they realized that Sawyer was a force of nature and should be treated as such.



But really, the leader was wonderful. He has 2 sons of his own. One of which has CP. The lady who was helping has a son who is ADHD. So by the end of the night, I was quite pleased with how they had regrouped and realized that one little boy could need 2 handlers. So, I may go back tonight to see which leader shows up for Tigers. If it is the 2 adults who were there on Monday night, I'll be good with staying at home the rest of the week.


We didn't get home til 9:30. My little scouts are still asleep at 7am.
That is new. Never happened in the history of the 6 person Stricklin family.

FOUR???? Already?

THIS!!!!!! This is the very first picture we ever saw of our little guy.
He looked like an old man.
He had a twinkle in his eyes.
He had chubby cheeks.
And OH WHAT A SMILE!

Look at him now.
Same sweet smile.
Same twinkle in his eyes.
Same chubby cheeks.
He has somewhat of an old soul.

So full of life.
So much joy.
So eager to please.
Such a loving person.

He's a gem!
We are very blessed.
Everyday is a blessing when we get to spend it with him.
He never fails to bring a smile to our faces.
He never fails to give hugs.
He never fails to T.A.L.K. ( a lot)
He never fails to strive to do his best.
How did we get so lucky?